Love My Life

2007, Japan, 96 min.
Directed by Kôji Kawano
Cast: Rei Yoshii, Asami Imajuku, Naomi Akimoto, Miyoko Asada

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28.6 17:10

Winner of the "20/20 vision" award at the Montreal international LGBT film festival. Imagine coming out to your parents, only to find out they're also gay. Ichiko, a student for languages and translation decides it's time to come out. She brings Eri, her serious law student girlfriend, over to dinner to meet her father (writer Ira Shida), a famous translator and writer. But her father has some surprises up his own sleeve. Ichiko's mother was a lesbian, and he himself is gay – and even has a gorgeous boyfriend. These sudden revelations toss the lightheaded Ichiko into some serious introspection on her life, her relationship with Eri, and her professional career. Surprisingly, and quite exceptionally, Love My Life contradicts everything we know about Japanese cinema so far: here is an easygoing comedy with a sweet and healthy sense of humor, which – for the first time in Japanese cinema – introduces a family that is entirely gay. The film's true achievement is in the attempt to look seriously at homophobia and sexism in Japan, while remaining dramatic rather than didactic.